


Wrong

by unadrift



Series: SGA Season Five Tags [18]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-05
Updated: 2009-12-05
Packaged: 2017-10-04 04:29:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unadrift/pseuds/unadrift
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I knew that Jennifer wasn't herself, right away. But McKay--"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> Tag for _Identity_, beta'd by snarkydame.

"You have been quiet today," Teyla says. She casts a glance at Ronon, who is busy wiping the sweat off his face.

Their sparring session has been as demanding as ever, and Teyla feels pleasantly exhausted and relaxed at the same time. She can tell that Ronon is still restless, though, to the point where only sheer willpower is keeping him seated on the bench next to her. He seems unusually distant, too.

Ronon emerges from behind the towel and throws her a falsely careless look, pointedly silent. Ronon has always been a master at pointed silences.

"More so than usual," Teyla concedes with a small smile. "What is wrong?"

Ronon shrugs. "Nothing."

"You are worried about something. It is not as hard as you might think to recognize your distress for what it is."

"I'm not distressed." Ronon sounds appalled at the very idea.

"Mildly concerned, then?"

That earns Teyla another look, and a dark one this time. She does not inquire further. She just waits. After all, Teyla is the one who has mastered the art of expectant silences long ago.

"McKay," Ronon says after a while, but the name is drawn out reluctantly. It does not seem to occur to Ronon that he could just get up and leave if he really wanted to avoid this conversation.

Ronon does not elaborate further, and it takes Teyla a moment to make a connection. "You are jealous of him?" she says, surprised. She had known that Ronon had harbored hopes to form a relationship with Jennifer during her first few months in Atlantis, but--

"No," Ronon says quickly. "I'm seeing Amelia now. Thought you knew."

"I do know," she confirms. "But one does not exclude the other."

"That's not it." Ronon shakes his head. "Three days ago," he says and looks at her, trying to determine whether she is following.

"The mind switch," Teyla says.

Ronon nods, once. "I knew that Jennifer wasn't herself, right away. But McKay--" He raises his shoulders in a half-shrug.

"Rodney did not realize?"

"Not at first."

"I see." Even though Teyla herself had not been present when this took place, the fact that it had happened does not surprise her. Sadly, her previous impressions of Rodney and Jennifer do not contradict Ronon's observation.

"It's just wrong." Ronon lets himself fall back against the wall, breathing out his frustration in a short gust of air. "McKay should know her better than I do."

The statement is of such self-evidence that Teyla does not feel the need to validate it with an answer.

They sit in silence – a silence that is neither pointed nor expectant – until the pleasant sensation of physical exhaustion starts to fade and makes room for the painful reminder that Teyla is not a girl of eighteen years any more. She shifts uncomfortably on the bench.

"Call it a night?" Ronon suggests, bumping his shoulder into hers.

"Gladly," she answers. "I could very much use a shower and some sleep."

When Ronon offers his hand to pull her up, she meets his eyes. He seems-- still worried. So is Teyla, actually.

Side by side, they walk out of the gym hall and down the corridor. Before they part at a T-junction, Teyla slows her steps and stops. "They do seem happy with each other," she says.

"I hope it lasts." Ronon sounds doubtful, but Teyla can tell that he means it.

"You and me both," she agrees, and that is just as true.


End file.
